GPK Pegger Kofler & Partners is the Austrian member firm of ALFA International and is located in Innsbruck. The firm was founded more than 125 years ago and is one of the largest firms in western Austria. GPK has a very strong corporate law, M&A and commercial law focus and our partners have extensive experience and practice in advising and representing both international and Austrian companies, including start-ups and family businesses.
The firm assists its clients from the drafting and execution of foundation, purchase and participation agreements, through to the dissolution of companies.
In particular, GPK provides ongoing support to clients from the initial stage in connection with the choice of legal form (e.g. sole proprietorship, civil-law partnership (GesbR), general partnership (OG), limited partnership (KG), limited liability company (GmbH), flexible corporation (FlexCo) or stock company (AG)). Further, the firm’s attorneys advise during ongoing business (e.g. in the event of amendments to articles of association or changes to the shareholder structure), up to the dissolution or sale of the company.
In recent years, GPK has also focused on assisting start-ups from the formation of the particular company structure, through investor rounds, to a possible exit. When advising family businesses, the firm’s attorneys pay particular attention to the interdisciplinary effects of succession arrangements on family and inheritance law matters.
Due to the expertise and size of our team, the firm is able to draw up company-related contracts and agreements of all kinds at short notice.
In addition to advising on the above-mentioned matters, GPK Pegger Kofler & Partners has many years of experience in advising board members, managing directors and supervisory board members (e.g. on liability issues) as well as companies in connection with the assertion of (damages) claims against their executive bodies. Further, we regularly assist individual shareholders in disputes with their co-shareholders.
The firm also focuses on advising foundations and foundation bodies (e.g. foundation board, advisory board) in all matters relating to foundation and property law.
The firm’s attorneys are serving as members of supervisory boards and advisory boards as well as of foundation bodies.
Types of Corporate Transactions in Which Our Firm Has Particular Expertise
- Advice in all matters of corporate and commercial law
- Company foundations of all kinds, including advice relating to establishing companies in Austria (trade law etc)
- Due diligences
- Advising (family) businesses and their shareholders on ongoing business matters up to the dissolution
- Mergers and acquisitions (including cross border transactions)
- Company and family successions
- Start-Ups and family businesses
- Directors’ and shareholders’ agreements (e.g. syndicate agreements)
- Preparation of and representation at shareholder meetings
- Consulting for executive boards, managing directors and supervisory boards and well as drafting of rules of procedures
- Corporate governance
- Regulatory and compliance
- Joint ventures and spin-offs
- Commercial transactions
- Reorganisation
- Licensing, franchise and distribution
- Corporate debt financing and restructuring
- Employee benefits, stock options plans, remuneration
- IP/IT law
- Trade licenses
The Size of Our Firm’s Corporate Transactions Team
GPK’s corporate transaction team includes three partners and two associates who specialize in this field. The team is supported by partners with a range of expertise in other related areas, depending on the type of transaction concerned (e.g. employment, IT/IP, antitrust, data protection, real estate etc.).
Examples of Transactions Our Firm Has Undertaken
- Acted in relation to the acquisition of shares in an IT security company by a European group; purchase price approx. € 15 million
- Acted in relation to the acquisition of shares in an electrical engineering company for a European group; purchase price approx. € 3.5 million including comprehensive legal due diligence
- Acted in relation to a group merger of planning companies in the field of electrical and installation technology and water management
- Acted in relation to the transfer of an educational institution to a subsidiary and reorganization of the contractual relationships
- Acted in relation to the restructuring of a holding company through merger, capital increase and revision of the articles of association
- Acted in relation to the restructuring of an investment company to transfer the majority shareholding to other entrepreneurs and educational institutions, volume approx. € 5 million
- Provided advice and support in relation to the founding of an enterprise with equity participation of international investors concerning a start-up for the recycling of building materials
- Advice and support in relation to the acquisition of a software company by an engineering company